Geochaching, has anyone tried it?

[Salli]

Just once with my son for a scout thing. I would definitely do this when I go visit other countries. I should bring a bag of blind bag doubles with me

[zabe77]

I tried it years and years ago with a borrowed GPS (before phones had them). It was fun. I can't remember what we put in it, but I still have the ladybug magnet that I took out of the first one we did. We didn't exchange other than the first one, but we always filled in the little log book. I can't wait to do this with my kids in a few years! So fun!

[silverdragon54]

I haven't been caching in way too long. We kinda ran out of nearby caches to find, and my bf hates long bus trips.

I've found 60+ caches, but my absolute favorite was a micro called "Cone of Silence". The only clue given was "Something's not quite right..." Ground zero on my GPS led my bf and I to a little cluster of pine trees and he said "Great...it's probably hidden inside a pinecone that doesn't belong to this tree." Well, he was right. It took a few trips to that park to finally find it, and I laughed myself stupid once I finally did. Just above my head, hanging on a brass hook screwed into a branch, was a GIANT craft store pinecone.

I had my own hidden for a while, too! It was there for a good two years before it got muggled. If I ever find the perfect spot to hide a new one, I'm totally making a camo pony plushie for a first-to-find prize.

[June]

I've heard and read about this, but never really understood what it was. And it sound like a lot of fun since I love exploring. I believe there are people doing it in even in my area. Can someone who has tried it explain it to me, please Like what are the rules (if any) and what equipment do you need?

[silverdragon54]

I've heard and read about this, but never really understood what it was. And it sound like a lot of fun since I love exploring. I believe there are people doing it in even in my area. Can someone who has tried it explain it to me, please Like what are the rules (if any) and what equipment do you need?

It's super easy to get started...all you need is a GPS. (I'm sure there's a geocaching app for smartphones, but I don't have one so I do it the old fashioned way. ) Go to http://www.geocaching.com/ to search for caches near you and enter the coordinates into your GPS. It'll lead you to where the cache is hidden, but actually finding it can still be a big challenge. There are some diabolical hiders out there!

Some caches are really small and only contain a logbook. Sign it to let the hider know that you found it! Bigger caches contain prizes. Take an item and leave an item of your own so there is always stuff to be found.

The real rules mostly apply to hiding caches. They can't be hidden in national parks, within I think 150 metres of bridges or railroad tracks, or within I think 300 metres of another cache. They can't contain stuff like weapons, tobacco products, food, or illegal substances. Caches also can't be buried. They can be covered with debris, but not buried.

Check out geocaching.com! It's a really fun hobby.

[June]

I've heard and read about this, but never really understood what it was. And it sound like a lot of fun since I love exploring. I believe there are people doing it in even in my area. Can someone who has tried it explain it to me, please Like what are the rules (if any) and what equipment do you need?

It's super easy to get started...all you need is a GPS. (I'm sure there's a geocaching app for smartphones, but I don't have one so I do it the old fashioned way. ) Go to http://www.geocaching.com/ to search for caches near you and enter the coordinates into your GPS. It'll lead you to where the cache is hidden, but actually finding it can still be a big challenge. There are some diabolical hiders out there!

Some caches are really small and only contain a logbook. Sign it to let the hider know that you found it! Bigger caches contain prizes. Take an item and leave an item of your own so there is always stuff to be found.

The real rules mostly apply to hiding caches. They can't be hidden in national parks, within I think 150 metres of bridges or railroad tracks, or within I think 300 metres of another cache. They can't contain stuff like weapons, tobacco products, food, or illegal substances. Caches also can't be buried. They can be covered with debris, but not buried.

Check out geocaching.com! It's a really fun hobby.

Thanks
Wow, there are over 8000 caches in my area! I don't have a smartphone either, so I'll have to bring a friend with me. Can't wait

[Moss]

I just downloaded the app because of this thread. It sounds like fun, and my sister and I are always looking for things to do over the summer.

It also reminds me of letterboxing. A bunch of the libraries in the county hid these boxes with logbooks in them, and you had to follow a series of clues in each library to find one. Each box had a stamp that you put in your book, and you stamped and signed the book in the box. It was tons of fun when we were in elementary school, and it was probably inspired by geocaching!

[Sora]

Aw, the app won't work on 3GS

Anyhow, I'll still try to download the app... On my mother's tablet instead

[cricket]

I also just downloaded the app!  I've been wanting to try this for a few years now but never seem to get to it.  There are tons of cashes in my area!  I think I know what I'm doing next weekend:).

[sunshine29102]

OK, so I read this thread, thinking "this sounds interesting..." but figured nothing would come of it. I live in a small, rural town in South Carolina. So, I downloaded the app that y'all mentioned, and sure enough, there are at least 15+ sites/cache's around me, some VERY near to my home. 

I think I found another new hobby...

[TornadoTwist]

Me and my dad do these things already for like 10 years. He has a GPS and most of the time we look for one which is close to the places we stay on Holidays. We are going to the Black Forest (Germany) in less then a month and I hope we can find some.

One was really tricky to get. It was in a ruin in Germany in a dark room, you needed a flashlight. And the cache was somewhere in a really small hole in the dark which I had to crawl into. Thank god there weren't any spiders there.

[Aflame]

my OH charmer has done about 150 but the person that got him in to it has done well over 1000 including some around vesuvius ! xaflame